“The production of industrial hemp has a positive environmental impact. Academic studies have established that hemp production is environmentally friendly due to the decrease of land use and other environmental impacts, thereby indicating a possible decrease of ecological footprint.

“It is because of such benefits that are derivable from the production of industrial hemp that we have big economies such as China who are the world’s leading producer of the crop.

“As a progressive nation we also have taken a deliberate and conscious decision to venture into industrial hemp production given the benefits that we can derive.” The Herald